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Tree-huggers will be really displeased to hear this: Ecuador is planning to auction off more than 7 million acres of the Amazon ... to Chinese oil companies. Politicians pitched bidding contracts to oil company reps in Beijing on Monday, the Guardian reports. Needless to say, indigenous groups living on the land are not happy. Seven of the groups say they haven't consented to the plan, which they say would destroy their way of life.

The groups have protested previous meetings between Ecuadorean politicians and oil companies, and are demanding oil companies not take part in the bidding process. But Ecuador's secretary of hydrocarbons says the groups just have a "political agenda" and "are not thinking about development or about fighting against poverty." The deal may have more to do with national debt than anything else: Ecuador owes China more than $7 billion. (Read more Amazon rainforest stories.)

The natives will be the first to suffer... "Away AwayYou have been banished Your land is gone and given me" David Mathews Band "Don't Drink The Water"

Tology

Mar 28, 2013 11:07 AM CDT

Worldwide destruction of the ecosphere, brought to you by the People's Republic of China.

BenDunn

Mar 28, 2013 9:47 AM CDT

Hey tree huggers, why are you still in this Nation screaming about oil pipe lines, This is happening with the Socialist government of Ecuador ., one of Sean Penns hero's, and the Communist Chinese one of Hollywood's hero's Both Socialist and Communist are killing off the rain forest Scream loud, head to Ecuador and stop this Sean Penn, Danny Glover, Hollywood lefties WHERE ARE YOU!!????